Student Spotlight - Kylie Huff

Being surrounded by the campus liberals hasn’t stopped Kylie Huff from standing up for her conservative beliefs. On the contrary, the left-wing status quo on her campus at Bowdoin College in Maine has inspired her to become more outspoken, knowledgeable, and active when it comes to her conservative principles.

In her third year at Bowdoin, Kylie is the co-chair of the College Republicans and is currently working hard to bring Bay Buchanan to speak on her campus. We talked with Kylie to find out more about how she got her start as a campus activist, the challenges she faces on such a liberal campus, and what she’s doing to challenge her leftist peers and professors.

Luce: How did you become a conservative?

Kylie: I never became a conservative, but rather have always been conservative as a result of the core values my family instilled in me at a young age. It wasn’t until high school that I became passionate about being conservative. My central Maine high school was rather liberal as my history classroom was decorated with a poster of Che Guevara, and the school advocated ideas such as handing out free condoms at the prom. After attending a very liberal high school, my conservative views were reinforced as I entered college. Students are disproportionately liberal because they can easily be manipulated by their institutions. I am conservative because I believe in natural human rights and individual liberty. I uphold a social moral code, and let common sense, rather than a liberal ideology, guide my views.

Luce: As a conservative, what challenges do you face at your school?

Kylie: My school has changed over the past few years. Freshman year, before I had joined College Republicans, a member wrote an intellectual article equating homosexuality with bestiality in our school newspaper. A few weeks later, the College Republican charter was revoked for what was deemed to be an unrelated event. After fighting to get the charter back, the group kept a low profile for the rest of the year. Our club is now larger than it has ever been. For two years I was the only female member, but now a number of girls attend our weekly meetings. Our posters get ripped down, and during American Conservatism Week in the fall our infamous George Bush cardboard cutout was stolen. One of our biggest challenges is getting students and faculty to attend the lectures we bring to campus. While we advertise well, many show little interest in the conservative point of view. We seek to change this by bringing speakers with more political and intellectual clout. When students and faculty do come to see our guest lecturers, there is often controversy. Last year when Joseph C. Philips came to speak about being a black conservative, a number of students sought to humiliate him during the question and answer portion of the lecture. They spoke out of turn, neglected to raise their hands, and showed him little respect. Other speakers that have come to Bowdoin outside of the College Republicans and on behalf of other campus organizations have been met with similar disrespect as well. Last October Robert Gagnon (brought by the Intervarsity Chapter), Professor at the Pittsburg Theological Seminary expressed the way he was treated at Bowdoin on his website at the following link: http://www.robgagnon.net/homosexBowdoinCollege.htm. Our group seeks to change the dynamic of campus discussion to make it fairly balanced and intellectually based.

Luce: What is your most memorable activist experience?

Kylie: My most memorable activist experience did not take place on campus, but rather in Washington, D.C this past fall. I studied away with the Washington Semester Program to pursue study in Public Law. Two days a week I interned with U.S Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). One day a number of Tea party activists came into the front office with hundreds of tea bags signed by Maine constituents. They talked briefly about where they stood on the issues and what they advocated as Conservative Americans. They were socially conservative, but also wanted smaller government and individual liberty. They understood that government does not solve problems, but rather creates them. As they left I wondered what I could do to advance these principles. That night as I returned to my Capitol Hill apartment I decided to register for the march that took place in Washington, D.C in September. I recruited some friends, made posters, and marched to the U.S Capitol with thousands of activists who had traveled to D.C from all over the country. Major news sources dismissed the number of Americans who had gathered and organized for the event. I think it sent a real message about how citizens feel about the current administration and government policies. After spending the day with thousands and thousands of people as upset with the federal government as I was, I began to consider ways such a level of activism could reach my college campus in Brunswick, Maine. If people could understand the way the current administration is morally bankrupting America and infringing on individual liberties, they too would become more conservative.

Luce: Tell us about your experience with hosting a Luce campus lecture

Kylie: We have yet to host a CBLPI speaker on campus, but are bringing Bay Buchanan in early April to speak on the state of the economy. Bringing a speaker with such political clout is certain to spark much needed political and intellectual discussion on campus.

Luce: Who is your favorite conservative woman leader and why?

Kylie: Margaret Chase Smith was the first female Senator from the state of Maine, and one of Maine’s most successful political leaders. She had her name placed in nomination for the U.S presidency, becoming the first woman to attempt running for President. She also was a lieutenant colonial in the Air Force making her even more admirable. It is important to have conservative leaders, but it is also important to ensure conservative women step into the forefront to assert their beliefs as well.

In present day I admire Bay Buchanan. I heard her speak at the CBLPI Woman of the Year Luncheon during CPAC last year and was inspired. In the face of liberal criticism, it is often difficult to form arguments in support of socially conservative values. Bay was able to form intellectual and compelling arguments condemning the liberal agenda. Her advice on how to be a good leader has been useful and inspirational--Despite challenge and adversity, hard work can bring success.

Luce: What advice would you give other conservative students?

Kylie: Standing up for what you believe in is the single most important thing you can do for yourself. If people do not know you are a conservative—you are not being active enough. The challenge of holding the minority view on campus should be empowering and motivational.

Luce: Where do you hope to be in 10 years?

Kylie: In ten years I hope to be a lawyer

"Standing up for what you believe in is the single most important thing you can do for yourself."